last trip to south africa and when he first met mandela as a senator. >> reporter: president obama was in south africa in june. nelson mandela was very sick at that point. the white house said out of respect for him and his family they were not going to have the obamas go and meet him. instead, he took his wife and daughters to nelson mandela's cell on robben island. he said it was a privilege and honor to be there. the first and only time they met is right after president obama was elected senator in 2005. it was at a hotel here in washington. the president, then senator, was not on nelson mandela's schedule but he stayed strong and persevered and he got himself on that schedule. they had a brief meeting and there is an iconic photo taken that day by one of the president's aides, and that photo hangs in the west wing. >> the only photo that exists of that meeting, by the way. karen travers reporting live from washington. thank you. >>> mandela died at his home surrounded by his youngest daughters who were in london at the time attending a premier of a new film about his life. they lef